Google Search

Michel Platini Demands That Brendan Rodgers Explains Himself After Liverpool Bend UEFA Rules With Weak Team Against Real Madrid

The UEFA official denied that Liverpool would be punished for rotating their side against Real Madrid.

UEFA President Michel Platini has demanded that Brendan Rodgers explain his team-selection to Liverpool fans, after the Reds fielded a weakened team against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Rodgers’ reserves actually put in a better performance than the first team did two weeks ago, holding Real to a 1-0 win, but UEFA boss Platini thinks that the Liverpool fans deserve an explaination for Rodgers’ decision.

“First of all, he has to explain to his fans why he put this team – not to me, not to you,” the Daily Telegraph quote the former France international as saying.

One of the rules of the UEFA compeitions is that clubs must:

“field their strongest team throughout the competition,” but Platini denied that his organisation would punish Liverpool:

“Are you sure it was not the best team?… If I am the coach of Liverpool, I say, ‘It’s my best team. How can you prove it not [our[ best team?’ I can’t interfere with that.”

Rodgers’ team selection was presumably in preparation for Saturday’s match-up against Chelsea, and with Mourinho’s side playing tonight, the rested Reds will be at a significant advantage when they face-off.

Liverpool are now third in their Champions League group, and their next game in the competition, against Ludogorets on the 26th, is a true must-win if they are to stay in European contention.